


You're Visble To Me

by Hexalys



Category: Beetlejuice - All Media Types, Beetlejuice - Perfect/Brown & King
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Character Death, Complicated Relationships, Gallows Humor, Gen, Ghosts, Grief/Mourning, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Netherworld Lore, Paranormal, Self-Esteem Issues, Suicidal Thoughts, Welcome To A Fic About Death!, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-07
Updated: 2019-12-07
Packaged: 2021-02-17 21:42:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,306
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21700216
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hexalys/pseuds/Hexalys
Summary: Ever since Emily died, Odette's been struggling to do everything she can think of to help her niece, Lydia, deal with her grief. It's not easy though, especially when Chuck suddenly decides to uproot his family and head to Connecticut. Seriously, how the hell did that seem like a good idea? Taking some leave from work, Odette drops in on her family for a surprise visit. She wasn't expecting to find a secret affair, the very real thoughts of suicide her niece has been contemplating, two courteous spirits of the recently deceased, and--"Hey, who's the idiot on the roof!?"
Relationships: Adam Maitland/Barbara Maitland, Beetlejuice & Lydia Deetz, Beetlejuice/Originial Female Character(s), Charles Deetz/Delia Deetz, Lydia Deetz & Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 8
Kudos: 57





	You're Visble To Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now, considering I won't see the musical until the 21st, I don't know yet how this story will go. I've done my best to avoid spoilers, but I do know a few key elements that are different from the movie. I'm also unaware of how much time passes overall, and while I've plucked things from the movie, this is most certainly based off of the musical. So just note that some things will be subject to change after I see the musical.

_"You're invisible when you're sad—clocks ticking, phones still ring. The world carries on like mad, and nobody sees a thing."_

The first thing Odette does when she gets the call about Emily's death is ask where and how she died. Chuck is the one to tell her and he balks for a few seconds before appeasing her. He likely thinks it's a cop thing, a way to compartmentalize or maybe a habit she'd unconsciously slipped into. In any case, her head is in a fog as she does her best to retain everything he tells her. She hears herself muttering about being over at their home later, but she's not sure if she gave a definite time or not.

"You okay partner?" Morales asked, and even though he sounded so far away, it was enough to get Odette moving.

"That was Chuck. Emily died. Some sort of accident at work." She said as she grabbed her keys, badge, and gun.

"Are you serious?" He asked in disbelief and Odette went still for a moment before a surge of rage shot up inside her.

"No, it was fucking joke!" She hissed, uncaring that everyone in the vicinity stopped at her outburst. "I'm sure Chuck was just messing with me when he said Emily snapped her fucking neck!"

"Haling!" The chief barked from the doorway to his office. "Go, update me when you know more."

"Thanks chief." Odette forced herself to reply, ignoring Morales attempts at spitting out an apology. She raced out of the precinct, hopped into her car, and sped not towards Emily's home, but towards her workplace. It was a publishing company located over on East 39th Street in Murray Hill. The ambulance was long gone, the accident happening over an hour ago, but Odette was looking for something else.

The stairwell Emily had fallen down was closed off with caution tape, which she slipped under with a wave of her badge at the officer on guard duty. There was no blood, no chalk outline, no crime scene to investigate. Still her blue eyes swept over the area, darting this way and that.

"Emily…?" She whispered weakly after spotting no sign of her sister. "Please, you have to be here. You can't–" Odette's plea was cut short at the realization that her sister had never lived her life with any regrets.

* * *

_"Whispering behind their hands, lost for kind words to say. Nobody understands and everyone goes away."_

"In times like these we have no words, we have only each other." She could barely hear Father Magnus from where she stood, but the rain was gentle and the funeral-goers were quiet, so his words weren't that difficult to hear. "Today we come together to mourn the passing of Emily Deetz. Devoted wife to Charles, beloved mother to Lydia, and cherished sister to Evelyn." Odette rolled her eyes at the use of her first name. She'd told the Father she went by her middle name. "Scripture tells us, sorrow not, for we do not walk alone."

Evelyn Odette Haling peered up at the pouring sky which seemed determined to put out her cigarette. It sputtered weakly, the thin paper soaked through, and she took one last unsatisfying drag before flicking it away from her. It hit a nearby tombstone, but she could hardly find it in herself to be anything but apathetic to the social norms of society. Her big sister was dead. Any pricks who would turn their nose up at her in that moment could rot in hell for all she cared.

"Of course, it's raining. What a cliché." The woman of thirty-one years muttered, bloodshot eyes tiredly taking in the procession before her. She stood some feet away from everyone else, having been in no mood to stand in the small crowd. She couldn't see her niece, Lydia, or her brother-in-law, Chuck. No doubt they were at the front of the group, standing before the black casket that now housed her sister. Umbrellas were used and shared to block out the rain, but Odette only had her black leather jacket to keep her dry. "You would've loved how dramatic this all is, Emily." Odette continued, a wane smile appearing on her face. "It's like something out of a Victoria novel or some shit."

Once the sermon ended, people stepped forwards to lay flowers on Emily's casket. Odette lingered, nodding to those who passed by and offered their condolences one last time. Chuck was talking with a few people near the cars, but she spotted Lydia still standing by the casket. Sighing heavily, she moved towards her niece. The sleek gray coffin was disgustingly shiny and made her long for the simple pine boxes people used to be buried in before funeral homes became a cash cow.

"Hey Lyds." Odette uttered softly, laying a hand on the fourteen-year-olds shoulder. The girl was glad in gothic attire—a black, morose dress with mesh sleeves and lace trimmings, a choker wrapped around her neck, thick black boots, and a wide brimmed hat with a dark veil. She'd forgone most of her makeup at Odette's advice, the mascara would only get ruined by tears later, and had simply painted her lips black.

Looking over her niece, she was reminded of the time Emily had called her in a bit of a panic. She hadn't known how to react to the dark clothes and grunge music at first. She'd worried that something was wrong, that Lydia was upset or hurt, but it turned out that then pre-teen was simply growing up and exploring new interests. Seeing as Odette had gone through her own "emo phase" as a teenager, she had fully supported Lydia's new look, and had been dubbed the cool aunt. Emily had taken that as a challenge and had basically bought an entirely new wardrobe dedicated to the macabre for her daughter.

Jesus, how could that only be two years ago?

"I miss her so much, Aunt Odie." The woman startled at the old nickname. Lydia had claimed it to be too childish to keep using when she'd turned ten. Heart aching, Odette pulled her niece in close, wrapping her arms around the teenager in the tightest embrace she could muster. Lydia's umbrella fell to the wayside as she shifted around to bury her face into Odette's shoulder, the muffled sobs nearly undoing her own strong front.

"I miss her too, sweetheart." She muttered, her throat catching as she spoke into Lydia's dyed hair. She was bereft of sympathetic words. Lydia didn't need to hear apologies or platitudes. Everyone else had no doubt echoed such sentiments. "I'll never stop missing her."

Emily had been her rock growing up. They'd come from a broken home. Their father was a drunk who'd run off on them when they were kids, and mom had turned to the bottle soon after. Emily, being six years older than Odette, had all but raised her in their parents' stead. God knows she hadn't gone easy on her sister either. It was only through Emily's love, patience, and guidance that Odette managed to make something of herself instead of ending up like their deadbeat parents.

"…Are you coming back to the house?" Lydia asked minutes later as she pulled away from Odette and wiped at her eyes with a black, silky handkerchief.

"Yeah. The chief gave me a few days off." Odette wishes she had gotten more time, but she was a homicide detective working in New York city. Her backlogs had backlogs. Morales, her partner, offered to take on some of her caseload, but even with the extra help she knew her desk would still be covered in paperwork when she got back to work Monday morning.

"I'm glad you're here." The goth whispered, her watery brown eyes locked onto Chuck. "I don't think dad knows how to handle any of this."

"Not many people do, kiddo." She replied softly as she glanced at her brother-in-law. Charles Deetz had always been so put together, but now he'd never looked so worn down.

He was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, coming from an old family that had spent generations surrounded by money. He'd been going to some Ivy League school when he'd first met Emily, who'd been working at a diner just off campus. He and his group of snobby friends had only stopped in because their usual hangout had been closed for renovations. The way Emily tells it—it was love at first sight.

Chuck, after some alcohol loosened his tongue, admitted to Odette that his friends had been lowkey mocking Emily as she served them, and he hadn't approved. He'd asked her out to mainly shut them up. He hadn't expected to enjoy their date. Nor could he haver ever guessed that he would propose to her the following year, despite it being against his parents wishes. Emily had confessed to Odette that she felt guilty for the fissure she'd put between Chuck and his family. She'd urged him often to reach out and make amends, but considering that they hadn't even sent a bouquet of flowers to the funeral, those bridge were well and truly burned.

Odette had never really had much of a relationship with Chuck. She'd given him a pretty fierce shovel talk when they'd met, which had left Chuck a fidgeting wreck whenever he was in her presence for a while there. She'd really gotten a kick out of that. Emily had been less than amused. It wasn't until the two had gotten married that Odette had started to treat him better. They weren't close, even after all these years, but they'd been amiable. Now Odette wished that she had tried harder. She wanted to be a confidant for Chuck but felt like there was too large of a gap between them. Even staying at their home, now without Emily, felt like she was imposing on him somehow.

"He hasn't said mom's name since it happened." Lydia uttered, something bitter tainting the edges of her tone. "It's all pronouns now." Odette hadn't realized this before, but now that Lydia had pointed it out, the self-censoring was hard to ignore.

"Maybe he's just trying to distance himself from his grief?" She offered, only to immediately wish that she hadn't said anything at seeing a scowl the form on Lydia's face. Still, Odette's instincts were rarely wrong, and she was certain that's what Chuck was doing. She didn't think it was the right way to mourn, but she couldn't begrudge his methods either. What right did she have to dictate how others dealt with their feelings?

"She only died three days ago." Her niece snarled as she glared at her father, roughly brushing away the tears that slipped down her cheeks.

"He is upset, Lydia, make no mistake about that." Odette argued gently. She knew how easy it was to lash out at others when a person felt hurt. "Chuck isn't trying to be indifferent or anything, it's just… it's a lot, sweetheart." She struggled to explain. She took a breath and nudged a finger under Lydia's chin to get the teenager to look up at her. "I know it hard to ask, but you need to have some patience with him. Greif does strange things to people."

"I'll try, Aunt Odie."

"That's all I ask."

* * *

_"Grownups wanna fix things, when they can't it fills them with shame, so they just look away."_

The days passed slowly. There was a void in their lives and all of them were acutely aware of it. Every night Lydia would slip into Odette's bed and breakdown into tears. She had a sinking suspicion that the teenager hadn't done the same with her father, and once Odette left, the girl would remain in her own bedroom, sobbing quietly behind a closed door. Just the thought made her stomach churn with guilt.

Chuck was a mess in a different kind of way. In the company of others, he exuded tiredness, but never did he cry or let himself fall apart. However, late one night, after Lydia had fallen asleep, Odette had shuffled downstairs to the kitchen find Chuck with his face buried in his hands. She'd frozen in her spot, unsure if she should offer comfort or quietly head back up to her room. Odette asked herself what Emily would want her to do and gathered her courage.

"Chuck?" She asked softly, laying a hand on his shoulder. He jerked as if she'd shouted in his ear.

"O-Odette?" He gasped, brown eyes rimmed with tears. "Oh god I didn't wake you, did I?" He frantically rubbed at his face, as if he was caught doing something he shouldn't.

"Charles," She murmured, saying his given name for once. "it's okay to cry." She moved her hand to rub his back. "You don't have to be so stone-faced." He shook his head.

"No, n-no. I have to b-be strong. For Lydia." Odette could feel his body trembling and she hesitated for only a moment. She pulled the man into a hug, determined to ignore the awkwardness she felt, and offered comfort in the simplest way any human could. "I-I can't b-believe she's g-gone!" He wept into her hair, all restraint gone. Chuck was taller than Odette by several inches, standing solidly at 5'11. He'd always been broad-shouldered too and he'd gained a little weight these past few years—yet somehow, he'd never felt smaller.

"I know Chuck. It's not fair." The woman added, her voice thick with emotion. And it really wasn't. Who dies falling down some stairs unless they're not ninety-years-old? "She was always such a fucking klutz." She grumbled, fighting back tears of her own. "Who'd have thought it would be the death of her." Chuck gave a startled, choking laugh before devolving into sobs once more.

"That's n-not f-funny." He blubbered and she nodded.

"Sorry. You know I have a shitty sense of humor." Odette was convinced that her black humor was a byproduct of her job. She often made offbeat jokes that earned her a glare or gasp in the company of people who didn't know her. More often than not Odette enjoyed the shocked reactions her attitude earned, but right now she just felt empty without Emily there to scold her use of foul language.

They spent the night in the kitchen, talking about everything. They spoke about fond memories with Emily, about Lydia and her budding interest in photography that had all but died alongside her mother. They talked about work, about long sleepless nights, and speculated about what the next few months would be like. It was only when dawn broke and the birds outside began chirping that they retired to bed.

"Thanks for this, Odette." Chuck said before they parted way on the second-floor landing. "I guess I just really need someone to unload on."

"Any time you get that feeling again, call me Charles. I mean it." He blinked at her tiredly, nodded wordlessly, and shut the door to the bedroom he and Emily had shared. Unfortunately, Chuck would never make that call. Instead the next several months would be filled with an increasing amount of arguments that would sour their relationship.

* * *

_"Is it being greedy to need somebody to see me and say my name?"_

Although Lydia, Chuck, and Odette all lived in New York City, they didn't reside in the same neighborhood. The Deetz had a very nice condominium in SoHo while Odette owned a one-bedroom apartment in Queens. The commute was fifty minutes on a good day, but that didn't stop Lydia from taking the subway, cabs, a bus, or just straight up walking to Odette's home. The woman didn't see any harm in this at first, it was only a few days at a time in the beginning, and always on her days off. But then she got a call from Chuck three weeks after the funeral demanding to know where his daughter was. Apparently, Lydia had started skipping school and was hiding out at her apartment.

Odette had to put her foot down there, and it was one of the few things she agreed with Chuck when it came to the gothic teen. Lydia hadn't been happy with the united front. More often than not, Odette had the luxury of being on the girl's side. She had always been the fun aunt, not a strict parental figure. Acting as an authority figure was not a role Odette enjoyed fulfilling, especially when Lydia had given her a betrayed look. The teenager had stayed away from her apartment for a full twelve days, ignoring the numerous texts her guilty aunt sent. The only positive was Lydia was no longer missing school.

Fortunately, her anger didn't last long—or maybe Chuck had just been more aggravating than usual. Odette didn't ask for fear of reigniting the goth's ire.

Instead, after getting a text from Lydia asking if she could sleepover at her apartment that weekend, she'd immediately replied with an all-caps YES. She stopped off at the local store, picked up the latest horror film on DVD, grabbed some junk food, and ordered a pizza. She was so excited, she didn't even think to check-in with Chuck. He called two hours later and she allowed him twenty to chew her out before her temper snapped. She bit out a few choice insults of her own, before pointing out how Lydia preferred her over him, and hung-up once his voice reached a crescendo. She and Lydia both pretended like the call had never happened and watched cheesy horror flicks until two in the morning.

The following month proceeded to pass in a similar manner. Lydia would retreat to Odette's apartment, sometimes without Chuck's permission, and Odette would butt heads with the man over his daughter. It all came to a head one night when Chuck physically showed up at her apartment and took Lydia home with him, saying that if this didn't stop, he'd be forced to resort to legal matters. Odette had stared blankly around her apartment. If Chuck was serious, if he got a... a restraining order or something against her, there'd be no way she could fight it. He could afford the best lawyers in New York. Sure, she had some favors that she could call in, but nothing that could rival the assets his money could buy.

Odette had cursed Chuck vehemently. The bastard, whether he'd planned it or not, had masterfully backed her into a corner. If she told Lydia about his threat, no doubt that would just put even more strain on their father-daughter relationship. It was frustrating because she knew it would be easy to turn Lydia even further against Chuck, maybe that could even be something she could use if there was a... custody battle. Surely, Lydia was old enough that her opinion would be taken into account, but purposefully ruining the relationship between Lydia and Chuck? Emily would be ashamed of her for even thinking such a reprehensible thing.

And thus this was where Chuck essentially had her between a rock and a hard place. She had to stop Lydia to stop visiting without her father's permission, while also not revealing the reason why. That conversation went about as badly as Odette had been expecting.

"What do you mean you think I should spend more time at home?" Lydia repeated lowly, her tone warring with confusion, disbelief, and a bit of hurt. Odette was hoping she was just imaging that last part.

"Just that kiddo." She said, trying to keep her voice light. "I mean, when's the last time you spent a weekend with your dad?"

"I don't know. When's that last time he wasn't working?" The teen retorted irritably.

"Oh, I'm sure he doesn't work all the time." Odette tried, wilting a little under the look her niece sent her. "Maybe he works so much because he knows you're here instead of at home? Nobody wants to be in an empty house."

"...Do you not want me here?"

"No, no, no, of course not!" She denied quickly, a thread of panic filling her. "I'm just worried about you and your dad. Things don't seem... kosher between you two."

"Have you guys been talking about me?" Lydia asked almost defensively. 

"Only when Chuck calls to bitch me out." Odette muttered under her breath. For some reason, the man seemed to think she was a bad influence on the teenager. "You know we don't really talk, Lyds." She said louder, unable to withhold an eyeroll. "But I know how much time you spend here, kiddo. And don't think I haven't noticed how you've stopped talking about your friends." The goth glanced away. "I haven't heard about you skipping school anymore, but then again, I haven't heard much of school in general."

"My friends are fine and my grades are good." Lydia replied curtly, which frankly didn't instill any relief in Odette, but she knew when to drop a topic. It was quiet for a few minutes as she scrambled to find some way to get her point across without vilifying Chuck or pushing Lydia away. "...Dad hired a life coach for me." It took a moment for what her niece had said to register, and when it did, Odette could only stare at her uncomprehendingly.

"I'm sorry?"

"Her name is Delia."

"Do you... like her?" Odette asked her, still trying to wrap her head around this new development. What the hell was Chuck thinking? Who gets a fourteen year old a life coach?

"She's a ditz." Lydia answered darkly. "She's always talking about positivity and being happy."

"Ew." She uttered automatically, quickly paddling backwards at the smirk this put on her niece's face. "I mean, that sounds..." She struggled to find the right words before giving up. "I got nothing. That sounds exhausting and irritating."

"You have no idea." In the end, Odette did manage to make a breakthrough, and although Lydia clearly wasn't happy with it, she agreed to spend more time at home.

* * *

 _"Seems when you lose your mom, no one turns off the sun. The world carries on like that's that. You're invisible when you're sad."_

"'I'm sorry Chuck, I don't think I heard you right."

"No, I'm sure you heard me fine." Her brother-in-law replied snidely. "But I'll say it again anyways. We're moving to Winter River, Connecticut."

"Why?" Odette demanded, wishing the man had chosen to tell her this in person rather than over the phone. It would've made strangling him possible. "What in god's name possessed you to think this was a good idea? Lydia's having a hard enough time as it is. She doesn't need you to uproot everything in her life!"

"I don't need your approval for how I raise my daughter, Odette." Chuck growled back.

"Oh, so I don't get a say in Lydia's life, but that scatterbrained woman you hired does?" She snarled back, aware that they were already falling onto old arguments. Chuck didn't approve of Odette butting in, while she couldn't believe that some stranger's opinion was valued more than hers.

"It's Delia's job to help Lydia—to know what's best for." The detective scoffed derisively. She'd met Delia twice and she'd not been impressed with the older woman. Hell, Lydia had asked her to do a background check on Delia, claiming the ditz gave off cult-y vibes. It was a near thing too. "Guru Otho" was just a few steps away from introducing Kool-Aid to his followers. 

"Yeah, well if you spent anytime around your daughter, maybe she wouldn't need a life coach." She said reproachfully. Odette could barely hear his muffled curses, and figured Chuck must've buried the phone into his shoulder again. He always did that when he was close to hanging-up on her.

"It's been four months since Emily died." Chuck stated, as if that fact had anything to do this this conversation. She tried to ignore how her stomach dropped at her sister's name. "And yet Lydia isn't getting any better." Neither of them have the courage to say that feared she may be getting worse. Her brother-in-law sighed audibly. "Nothing is working here. Maybe a move to someplace quieter is what Lydia needs." He voice dropped a little, growing tired. "God knows I could use some."

"Work running you ragged, Chuck?" She asked, unable to help commiserating a little, and he chuckled shortly.

"Like you wouldn't believe."

"And how does Lyds feel about moving?"

"Honestly?" He said lowly. "She's furious, but her biggest complaint seems to be about how little she'll get to see you now." Odette smiled down at the kitchen countertop as a swell of fondness rushed through her. "I know, what with your job, it's hard to get time off, but it would make Lydia happy if you could stop by every now and then." Chuck didn't ask outright, not with the bad blood that had been brewing between them these past few months, so she knew this was the best she was going to get out of him. "I've already bought a house and we'll be moved in by the end of next week..."

"I'll have to check with the chief," Odette remarked noncommittally. "but I'm sure I've got some vacation stacked up." As they said their goodbyes, Odette's brain was running like crazy. She did have some vacation she hadn't used and the chief liked her enough to give her some extra leeway. Chuck had basically given her an open-ended invitation, it'd be a shame not to use it. She smiled to herself as she schemed. Lydia would get a kick out of a surprise visit, and the rankled expression she pictured on Chuck's face was just too enticing to pass up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BJ: "Well would you look at that—a story that focuses on an OC. How unexpected coming from you, Hex!"  
> Me: "Holy shit! Beetlejuice!? What the hell?! Why are you in my Author's Note?"  
> BJ: "What? You didn't think I'd miss an opportunity to break the fourth wall, didya babes? I did it in the musical. Hell, I did it in the cartoon and the movie too!"  
> Me: "N-No, I was just surprised, that's all… I'm happy you could be here?"  
> BJ: "Course you are! I'm the ghost with most, toots. Now, not that I don't get why you wanted to write a fanfic about yours truly, but what's with the sexy OC?"  
> Me: "Odette? Oh, w-well, she's just here to help expand the story a bit in a different direction?"  
> BJ: "She's a hottie! I totally approve."  
> Me: "Really? That's a relief. She's going to play a big role in this fic."  
> BJ: "Yeah, and what kind of role is that? She's not taking away from my screen time, is she?"  
> Me: "W-Whoa, okay, no need to go red on me! If anything, her presence will give you more screen time. Promise!"  
> BJ: "Well then, what are you waiting for, babes? Get busy writing the next chapter! I can't wait to introduce myself."  
> Me: "Sure, I'll get right on that…"


End file.
